The present disclosure provides pumped heat energy storage systems that can be used to store and/or extract electrical energy. A pumped heat energy storage system of the present disclosure can store energy by operating as a heat pump, whereby net work input can be used to transfer heat from the cold side to the hot side. A working fluid of the system is capable of efficient heat exchange with heat storage fluids on a hot side of the system and on a cold side of the system. Such pumped energy storage systems can be beneficially integrated with steam plants to provided heating to the steam cycle.

A first system herein may include: (i) a pumped-heat energy storage system (“PHES system”), wherein the PHES system is operable in a generation mode to convert at least a portion of stored thermal energy into electricity, wherein the PHES system includes a working fluid path circulating a working fluid through, in sequence, at least a compressor system, a hot-side heat exchanger system, a turbine system, a cold-side heat exchanger system, and back to the compressor system; and (ii) a fluid path directing a first fluid through an intercooler and to a power generation plant, and wherein the working fluid path through the compressor system includes circulating the working fluid through, in sequence, at least a first compressor, the intercooler, and a second compressor, and wherein the intercooler thermally contacts the working fluid with the first fluid, transferring heat from the working fluid to the first fluid.

A method including: (i) receiving a first amount of electricity into a pumped-heat energy storage system (“PHES system”) from a power generation plant supplying a second amount of electricity to an electrical grid; (ii) operating the PHES system in a charge mode, converting at least a portion of the received first amount of electricity to stored thermal energy; and (iii) increasing a power level of the PHES system such that the first amount of electricity that the PHES system receives from the power generation plant is increased such that the second amount of electricity supplied to the electrical grid by the power generation plant is a reduced amount of electricity less than the second amount of electricity.

A system including: a pumped-heat energy storage system (“PHES system”), wherein the PHES system is operable in a charge mode to convert electricity into stored thermal energy, wherein the PHES system comprises a working fluid path circulating a working fluid through, in sequence, at least a compressor system, a hot-side heat exchanger system, a turbine system, a cold-side heat exchanger system, and back to the compressor system; and (ii) a fluid path directing a hot fluid from a heat source external to the PHES system through a reheater, wherein a portion of the working fluid path through the turbine system comprises circulating the working fluid through a first turbine, the reheater, and a second turbine, and wherein the working fluid thermally contacts the hot fluid in the reheater, thereby transferring heat from the hot fluid to the working fluid.

Methods and devices for long-duration electricity storage using low-cost thermal energy storage and high-efficiency power cycle, are disclosed. In some embodiments it has the potential for superior long-duration, low-cost energy storage.

The invention comprises at least one gas compressor, at least one compressed gas storage, at least one expander for expanding the compressed gas for generating energy, and at least one heat storage, wherein the heat storage comprises a staged arrangement at least two fixed beds of heat storage particles and at least one discontinuity in a thermal gradient located between two adjacent beds.

The invention comprises at least one gas compressor, at least one compressed gas storage, at least one expander for expanding the compressed gas for generating energy, and at least one heat storage, wherein the heat storage comprises a staged arrangement at least two fixed beds of heat storage particles and at least one discontinuity in a thermal gradient located between two adjacent beds.

A thermal energy storage and recovery device is provided including a container having a first fluid terminal for inserting heat transfer medium into the interior of the container and a second fluid terminal for extracting heat transfer medium from the interior of the container, a heat storage material for receiving thermal energy from the heat transfer medium when in a first operational mode and releasing thermal energy to the heat transfer medium when in a second operational mode, and a plurality of enclosures each filled at least partially with a part of the heat storage material. The enclosures are spatially arranged within the container so a flow of the heat transfer medium is guidable between the first and second fluid terminals and a direct thermal contact between the heat transfer medium and the enclosures is achievable as the heat transfer medium flows between the first and second fluid terminals.

A thermal energy storage and recovery device is provided including a container having a first fluid terminal for inserting heat transfer medium into the interior of the container and a second fluid terminal for extracting heat transfer medium from the interior of the container, a heat storage material for receiving thermal energy from the heat transfer medium when in a first operational mode and releasing thermal energy to the heat transfer medium when in a second operational mode, and a plurality of enclosures each filled at least partially with a part of the heat storage material. The enclosures are spatially arranged within the container so a flow of the heat transfer medium is guidable between the first and second fluid terminals and a direct thermal contact between the heat transfer medium and the enclosures is achievable as the heat transfer medium flows between the first and second fluid terminals.

A supercritical carbon dioxide power generation Brayton cycle system and method that employs an alternate heat recuperation method and apparatus that utilizes switched banks of bead filled tanks to accumulate and recover the thermal energy of the two streams of working fluid in such a way that the variable thermal properties of the supercritical carbon dioxide can be accommodated without significant loss of thermal efficiency.